Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
158. The Self-Awareness of an Amitabha-Reciter (continued)
For instance, Honen Shonin called himself “the foolish Honen,” “the ten-evils Hōnen,” and even said, “Honen is not suited to the Three Learnings [precepts, meditation, and wisdom].” Yet these words were not meant to suggest that he was truly ignorant or unwise. In fact, during his time, Honen was widely revered as a monk who fully abided by the precepts and was honored as “the wisest among the wise.”
Even though he referred to himself as “ten-evils Honen,” Honen Shonin was certainly not someone who committed the ten most evil deeds, such as killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct. Rather, he was a holy monk devoted to the Nembutsu, living a life of purity.
Therefore, someone who, from the depths of their being, recognizes themselves as evil, deluded, and ordinary is in fact a person of profound faith in Amitabha-recitation. This deep, subjective awareness of the karmic evil we all bear, forms the basis of deep faith in aptitude. Such a person can be said to be a truly sincere and reverent Amitabha-reciter.
158 念佛人的自覺 (續)
如上所述，罪業惡業的自覺是對自己的主體性自覺，認為自己是愚癡者， 是罪惡者，是具足煩惱者，換一種客觀的角度來看，可以認 為這是極為虔敬 的念佛者。如法然上人自稱是「愚癡法然」、「十惡法然」，又說「法然非三學之 器」，雖然以這樣的文字流露自己的自覺，但絕對不是說法然上人是愚癡無智 的人。在當時法然上人被大眾尊崇為戒德優秀的高僧，是被稱為「智慧第一的 法然」而被尊敬的人。
雖然又自稱「十惡的法然」，但法然上人絕對不是去做如殺生、偷盜、邪淫 等十惡的人。法然上人是念佛的聖者、清淨僧。
所以，主體性的自覺到自己是罪惡生死凡夫的人，這種人是信心極深的 念佛者。這主體性的罪惡之自覺就是機深信的內容，可以說此人是具足深心 的虔敬念佛人。
Namo Amituofo!
